- BPL governing council rejects IPL franchises, prioritizing autonomy over tournament rights.
- Hesitant to involve surrogate betting companies at present, citing financial constraints.
- Consideration of revenue sharing contingent on a tenfold increase in franchise fees.
In a surprising move, the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) governing council announced on Thursday that it is not prepared to welcome Indian Premier League, IPL franchises into their esteemed T20 tournament, citing fears of relinquishing control over their rights. Despite challenges faced by T20 leagues globally, the BPL remains committed to conducting the tournament in alignment with the country’s distinctive style.
Ismail Haider Mallick, a member secretary of the BPL governing council, revealed that IPL franchises had approached them on multiple occasions. However, the council remains resolute in emphasizing the importance of retaining autonomy over the tournament’s rights, signaling a cautious stance towards potential collaborations.
“They (IPL franchises) don’t want to come or maybe there is no reason to come. They (IPL franchises) approached us many times. The board’s decision was to run the tournament according to our country’s style,” Ismail Haider Mallick, BPL governing council member secretary, told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
“We don’t want to do something where the tournament’s rights will not be in our hands and will go to someone else.”
The BPL, while currently hesitant about welcoming surrogate betting companies, acknowledges that financial constraints might necessitate a reconsideration in the future. Bangladesh’s existing legal framework imposes stringent prohibitions on entities facilitating gambling, reflecting the challenges faced by cricket boards in navigating the complex landscape of sports betting.
The cautious approach extends to the involvement of non-corporate entities as sponsors, with the governing council citing past negative experiences. Notably, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan had to withdraw from a deal with Betwinner following an ultimatum from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
“There was a question about surrogate betting companies and for these reasons we don’t take the risk. If outside sponsor is not a corporate entity then going to an agency our experience is not that good. Last year we could have earned 10 Crores more from media rights but we didn’t because we shut down betting sites,” said Mallick.
“The whole world is going through an economic stagnation. Apart from IPL and India’s cricket board, I also used Big Bash as example. Shujon bhai goes to ICC and talks to every board’s CEO. We know how much everyone earns and what is being told to the media. It’s a difficult thing to do a T20 tournament [in this climate]. Not only T20 tournament, most of the national teams allow surrogates. Apart from one or two most are accepting it, even India,” he said adding that in future they might welcome surrogate betting houses in cricket.
Economic stagnation impacting T20 tournaments globally is not lost on the BPL, with only a few exceptions like the IPL and India’s cricket board. Considering the financial landscape, the BPL is exploring the possibility of welcoming surrogate betting houses in cricket in the future.
The financial dynamics are further underscored by Comilla Victorians owner Nafisa Kamal’s threat to quit the BPL if revenue is not shared. The governing council might entertain revenue-sharing discussions if franchise fees increase tenfold from the current BDT 1.5 Crores. However, past experiences with revenue sharing in the early years of the BPL were marred by irregularities and payment issues, prompting a reevaluation of the sustainability of such models in the current economic climate.
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